1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to display cases for plants, and, more particularly, to a self-watering display case for plants.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Self-watering display apparatus for plants comprise, with respect to the prior art, simply trays in which the plants are disposed. Water is introduced into the trays and the water is allowed to stand in the trays for a period of time while the plants absorb water by capillary action. After a time, the water is allowed to drain from the trays. The amount of time involved is usually a substantial amount of time due to the length of time required for the plants, or the soil or potting compound in which the plants are planted, to absorb the water. At such time as the soil or potting compound is sufficiently moist, by the absorption of the water standing in the tray, the water is allowed to drain from the tray. However, the soil or potting compound absorbs water rather slowly from the standing water in the tray and accordingly the soil or potting compound, particularly at the bottom of a planter, is exposed to the water for a considerable length of time and the roots of the plant are accordingly subject to diseases, root rot, and the like. The loss ratio of such plants resulting from the prior art watering apparatus is about thirty percent.
The self-watering apparatus of the present invention provides a flow of water which moves the length of a tray or trough and substantially reduces the amount of time required for the watering process and the loss compared to other types of apparatus is substantially reduced from about thirty percent to about three percent.